Stair construction



H. FELsl-:NTHAL STAIR CONSTRUCTION s sets-sheet 1 Filed Dec. 23 192'?` July 29,4 1930.

July 29, 1930. H. FLSENTHAL 13771,/405

STAIR CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 2s. 1927" s sheets-shut 2 l I l I l l July 29, 1930.

H FELSENTHAL STAIR CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec, 2s. 1927 :s sheets-sheet 3 jL-gzz Patented July 29, 1930 HAROLD FELSENTHAL, or craie-neo, ILLrNors, .essrencn ro GUAnsTEEL SAFETY sTAIR co., on cHrcAco, ILLrNoIs, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS STAIR ooNsfrnUcfrIoN Application led December, 1927. Serial` No. 242,084.

. 'This invention relates to the construction of stairways. A

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved stair constructionin which the nosing is readily detachable in order to be renewed when worn out; to provide a detachable nosing which functions to clamp the riser'section to the tread pan; and to provide an improved meansof binding the "y0 tread pans to the stringers.Y i i An illustrative embodiment of this invention isshown in the accompanying drawings in which: Y f

Figurel is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view of a stair step embodying this improved'invention. K f

Fig. 2 is a view in perspectiveof a spacing member for holding the nosing `seat in parallel relationship to the bottom of the tread "2o pan. y

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the removable tread nosing. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the improved bracket for mounting the tread pans 42"5 on stringers.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of lone end of atread pan with a riser riveted thereto.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentaryview in perspec tive of one end of the nosing seat. p

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the linel 7 7 of Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a stair landing with a portion `of the upgoing and 'downgoing stairs connected thereto.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line 10-10 ofFig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary section of a stair tread and riser of modified form.

Fig. 12 is a similar view of another modified form wherein the removable and renewable nosing is appliedto a concrete stairway.

Fig. 13 is a similar view showing a modified form of double treadpan.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional viewof i a two piece removable nosing construction.

Fig. 15 isa fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of nosing adapted to a concrete stairway.

Fig. 16 isa sectional view of a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 15.

In the construction shown in the drawings, i

a stairway is formed by a pair of stringers 1 and 2 placed in spaced parallel relationship in the usual manner and having a tread pan 3 disposed therebetween. `The tread pan is supported by the stringers 1 and 2 through the medium of an improved bracket 4. i

The `bracket 4 comprises a flange 5 having holes 6 therein for riveting' tothe side stringer, and a supporting web portion 7 disposed at right angles to the flange 5 so as to extend i; out from the Stringer when the bracket is attached thereto. The outer edge of the web 7 is provided with a pairiof upstanding lugs 8 and `9 provided 'with apertures 10 and 11 respectively extending therethrough. The ends adapted tobe inserted in each of the lug apertures as shown particularly in Figure 7. This wedge Canbea common square wrought iron nail. After being driven tightly into the aperture, the inner end thereof is preferably bent sidewise so as-to prevent loosening.

The `lower front edgepof the pan 3 is turned upwardly for a short distance at 15 and then outwardly at 16 to form a recess or seat and the front edge of the pan is turned upwardly to form an upstanding flange 17. The flange 17 is provided with a hole 18 extending therethrough for receiving suitable fastening means. The `rear edge of the pan 3 is also provided with an upstanding flange 19 to which is. riveted or otherwise suitably secured thelower edge of a riser member 20. Y The upper top edge of the riser member 2O fits into the recess inthe lower front edge of` the next succeeding tread pan, the flange 16 of said pan resting on the top edge of the riser and the inner upper side edge of the riser abuts against the side wall 15 of said recess.

A horizontally disposed nosing seat member 21 is provided at its'front edge with a rca depending flange 22 whichis adapted to overlap the upstanding flange 17 of the tread pan as shown in Figure 1. Said flange is provided.

struction and in the adaptation shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the upper flange 26 is of greater length than the lower flange 27. The flange 26 may be of plain construction or may be provided withk suitable safety domes 28 which prevent slipping when in use. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the rear edge of flange 26 abuts against the shoulder 24 of the nosing seat. The web of the nosing surrounds and covers over the front corner of the step which is formed by the riser and tread pan. The lower flange 27 of the nosing abuts against the outer upper side edge of the riser 2O and holds the upper end of the riser securely in position. The nosing web is also provided with suitable apertures 29 which register with apertures in the upstanding flange of the tread pan and depending flange of the nosing seat so that the tread pan, nosing and nosing seat may be securely held together by abolt 30. The bolt 30 is preferably made of brass and is of the flat machine screw type. The nosing is countersunk so that the head is flush with the outer surface thereof when secured in position. y f A spacer member 31 may be placed in position for holding the nosingseat parallel to the bottom of the tread pan 3 until said pan is filled with cement or concrete. The member 31 comprises a three-arm sheet metal stamping. The outer ends 32 and 33 Vof two of the arms are bent at rightrangles to the remainder thereof as shown particularly in Fig. 2 so as to form seats, the lower one for resting on the bottom of the tread pan and the upper one forbearing againstthe under side yof the nosing seat. The third arm of the spacer 31 is also bent at right angles near the outer end thereof to form a lug 34 which is provided with an aperture 35 for receiving the inner end of bolt 30. n

In the construction shown in Fig. 8, the platform comprises a plurality of sheet metal pans 36 having' upwardly turned flanges along their longitudinal edges. These flanges are bolted together as shown .in Fig. 10 to form a unitary structure to receive the concrete or cement thereon. Where a considerable distance is to'be spanned by the platform, a strengthening bar 37 is interposed between the upstandingl flanges at the edges of the pan 36 as shown at the rightv in Fig. 10 for stifff ening the structure.

f 57 in the usual manner.

A slight modification of riser construction isshown in Fig. 9 wherein the lower edge of the riser is curved as shown at 38 to form a shoulder which, taken together with the front edge of the tread pan provides guides for leveling the concrete 39 placed in the tread pans. By running a straight edge from the shoulder 38 over to the front edge of the tread pan, a perfectly level and smooth tread surface can be formed.

A newel post 40 is attached to the depending flange 41 of a hanger 42 which rests on a girder 43 at the front edge of the platform. The inner side of the girder web has an angle iron 44 riveted thereto which supports the front edges of the tread pans 36 as shown particularly in Fig. 9.

In the modification shown in Fig. 11, the tread and riser are formed of a single piece of sheet metal 45. The upper edge o'f the riser portion is bent outwardly, tlien ulpwardly and then backwardly to form a protruding shoulder 46 and a supporting flange 47. The front edge of the next succeeding tread member is bolted to the flange 47 on the upper surface thereof, thus forming a shoulder 48 against which abuts the tread flange 49 of a nosing member 50. The nosing member 50 is detachably secured to the shoulder 46 by a fiat headed machine screw 51 in the same manner as described in the other constructions.

In the modification shown in Fig. 12, the stairs are constructed of concrete with a sheet metal riser 52 embedded therein. The upper edge of the riser 52 is bent outwardly and then upwardly to form a flange 53 which overlaps a liange 54 of a nosing seat member 55. A readily removable and detachable safety nosing 56 is secured to a riser and nosing seat by a flat headed machine screw An anchor 58 is provided in this construction for holding the upper edge of the riser, nosing seat and nos ing securely against the face of the concrete. The lower edge of the riser 52 has a downwardly turned liange 59 which is embedded in the concrete Ifor anchoring the lower end of the riser.

In the modification shown in Fig. 13, the tread pan is formed of two separate pan members 60 and 61, each having upstanding flanges along their lateral edges with their adjacent flanges riveted together as shown. The flange at the rear edge of pan 61 is riveted to a riser 62 in the usual manner and the front flange of the pan 60 is provided with tapped holes for receiving flat headed screws 63 which pass through and secure a detachable safety nosing 64. The horizontal portion of the safety nosing 64 is of sufficient width to extend to the back edge of the front pan 60 and the upstanding flange 65 of the pan 60 is turned forwardly atits upper end to form a seat support 66 for the rear edge of the nosing 64. The flange 66 is also vprovided with tapped holes for receiving flat pan in position to clamp the upper edge of the riser 69 in a recess formed along the lower frontedge orp the tread pan in the same man- `ner as in the construction shown in Fig. 1. The horizontal portion of the nosing is shown as a separate piece 70 which fits between the upper edgeof member 68 and theupstanding shoulder 71 of a nosing seat 72. A safety member 70A is detachably secured to the nosing seat 72 by a flat headed screw 73 having its head countersunk in the upper surface of the member 70.A

In the modification shown in Fig. 15, a unitary channel shaped safety nosing inember 74 is detachably secured by a bolt 7 5 to a nosing seat 76 which is anchored to the front corner of the concrete step by an anchor member 77. e

In the modification shown in Fig. 16, the same ty-pe of concrete step provided with a nosing seat 7 8 held thereon by an anchor 79 and supports an angle member 8O and a safety nosing tread member 81 in the same manner as shown in Fig. 14, suitable flat headed screws 82 being provided for this purpose.

In the operation of these detachable nos ings, the stair construction may be of practically any type of variety in common use, that is of the type which uses a tread pan filled with cement and concrete, an all metal construction as shown in Fig. 1l or a concrete stairway as shown in Figs. 12, 15 and 16.

.In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 13, 15 and 16 the nuts ofthe flat headed machine screws are embedded in the concrete. After the nosing has become worn and it is desired to replace it, the bolts holding the nosing in position are backed out of the nosing members, leaving their nuts rigidly embedded in the concrete. A new nosing member is then placed in position and the bolts screwed back into their nuts. l/Vith this construction, a worn stair may be renewed from time to time at a very small expense. In the constructions which use a riser, eXcept in an all metal construction, the removable and detachable nosing is used to clamp the upper edge of the riser securely to the tread pan. By this con struction, the stairs may be assembled in units in a very rapid manner and when assembled are of equal rigidity to constructions which are riveted or bolted together.

By using the wedges 14 for assembling the tread pans to the stingers, the pans may be drawn up in a very tight manner without loosening the bracket from the stringers as is often the case where the upstanding lugs which pass through the tread pan are'struck with a hammer and bent over. A much tighter assembly is also eii'ected by use of the wedges than has heretofore been the case. Although but one speciiic embodimentof this invention has been `herein shown and described,it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention Vas deiined by the following claims.V Y

I claim: e

l. In a stair construction a tread pan having a recess in the lower front corner thereof, a riser member having its upper edge seated in said recess, the inner upper side edge of' said riser abutting against the side wall of said recess for supporting the front portion of' said tread pan, and means detachably attached to said pan having a portion abutting aeaist the outer upper side edge of said riser for holding said riser in said recess.

2. In a stair construction the combination of a pair of spaced stringers, a tread pan having an aperture therethrough, a tread pan disposed between said stringers and supported on said brackets, said pan being provided with apertures adjacent to the ends hereof' for receiving said lugs, and a wedge in the aperture of each of said lugs for binding said pan to said brackets. e

3. In a stair construction the combination of a pair of spaced stringere, a tread pan supporting bracket attached to the inner face of each of said stringers,saidbracketcomprising a Harige for attachment to the Stringer, a supporting web extending outwardly from the stringer, an upstanding lug on the outer edge of said web, said lug having an aperture therethrough, a tread pan disposed between said stringere and resting on the webs of said brackets, said pan being provided with apertures adjacent the ends thereof for receiving said lugs, and a wedge in each of said lug apertures for binding said pan to said brackets.

4. In a stair construction comprising a horizontal tread and a vertical riser section forming a step, a horizontal platform above said step comprising adjacent pans, upwardly extending side iianges on said pans, means for clamping flanges of adjacent pans together, and a filler in said pans, forming a treading surface. y

5. In a stair construction comprising a horizontal tread and a vertical riser section forming a step, a horizontal platform above said step comprising adjacent pans, upwardly extending side flanges on said pans, strengthening bars positioned between flanges of selected adjacent pans, means for clamping said flanges, and strengthening bars together, and a ller in said pans forming a treading surface.

6; In a stair construction a tread pan having a recess in the lower front corner thereof, a riser member having its upper edge seated in said recess, the inner upper side edge of said riser abutting against the side wall of said recess for supporting the front portion of said tread pan, a channelbar on the front edge of said tread pan having one leg extending into said recess and abutting the outer surface of said riser, and bolts extending through registering apertures in said tread pan and channel bar for securing said tread pan, channel bar and riser against displacement.

Signed at Chicago this 20th day of December, 1927.` v

HAROLD FELSENTHAL. 

